Need Advice!!
 

I am CO Gold. Fly about 50-60K base miles a year.I am Marriott Platinum and use this program way more than I fly...actually stayed 195 nights last year! I also wrote to Starwood with my Marriott statement and they elevated me to Platinum immediately.MY QUESTION: Since I don't fly a ton of base miles..is it wise to switch my Marriott preference to MILES instead of POINTS at some point in time?? If so...when??

>Since I don't fly a ton of base miles....

Note that the miles you would earn through Marriot would probably not count as base miles in whichever airline FFP you credit them to. They would only count as bonus miles... good for redemption but not good toward improving your elite status.

I realize that...was just wondering if it would be good to boost my total CO miles by choosing miles with Marriott instead of hotel points. I am at 550,000 Marriott points and only 210,000 CO miles.

We often overlook "using points/miles" in the effort to obtain them.

Remember miles/points often are depreciated in value by their hosts. At the very least they do not "earn interest". What are you likely to use, gift or "sell"? That might help you to decide which option to take.

Maybe it is time to take a trip to Australia, first class and stay at some Marriotts (if they are there).

Maybe if you stay one night at a rate under 100 if not the value of hotel points is better than miles. 500 points is worth about maybe 10 bucks toward travel(using $500 as a airplane ticket)using their five stays gives you a double bonus it is worth maybe 20 bucks. But if you stay consecutive nights hotel points are much better.